Switch your household energy supply to a green tariff that includes renewable electricity, renewable gas and/or carbon offset gas.
The Energy Saving Trust lists 10 simple things we could all do to reduce our household energy use.
Try walking, cycling, or using public transport for one journey you’d normally drive.
Choose local and seasonal produce to reduce food miles and support local farmers.
Not using food in time and changing our minds about what to eat accounts for nearly 70% of food waste in our homes, so planning our meals and sticking to a shopping list really helps.
Use apps that help reduce supermarket waste – e.g. Too Good to Go, Olio, Tummies not Trash shop
Livestock farming is major contributor to greenhouse emissions so reducing meat consumption helps.
Visit a local repair café, tool library, or upcycling workshop in your area.
Next time you’re ordering something, choose a more sustainable, slower delivery option. Next day delivery is linked to higher emissions.
Switch to reusable shopping bags, coffee mugs, bottles, and containers (e.g. STOJO On the go collapsible coffee mug).
Use a local refill station for detergents or dry groceries.
Choose products with minimal or recyclable packaging.
Eco Laundry detergent e.g. Laundry Leaves
Remember to bring your cup to the Sunday service
Nearest Refill stations for household products:
Mark McGill butcher - 124 Lanark Road, Currie
Houseproud Of Morningside - 169-173 Morningside Rd, Edinburgh EH10 4AX
Home Hub - 14 Buckstone Terrace, Edinburgh
Complete Health At The Millstone - 159 High St, Linlithgow EH49 7EJ
Pete’s Farm Run - 24a Gyle Ave, Edinburgh EH12 9JS
Climate justice starts with fair trade. Fairtrade works to make global trade fairer by ensuring farmers and workers in developing countries receive better prices, decent working conditions, stronger rights, and can produce crops in a sustainable manner.
Plant a tree in your garden or join a community tree-planting event.
Calculate your carbon footprint using the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) online calculator and explore practical suggestions to reduce your footprint.
Write to your MSP or local candidates before the May Scottish election to ensure robust climate policies are part of the debate.
Find out how you can get involved: attend a meeting or volunteer for a project.
Choose one of your favourite brands and contact them to ask what they’re doing to reduce their carbon footprint.
Take part in a Citizen Science Project that helps inform climate science.
Big Garden Birdwatch (January annually)
Big Plastic Count (March annually)
Big Butterfly Count (July annually)
Find out what your bank invests your money in. Is it in sustainable sectors and solutions? If not, use your power as a customer to challenge their business priorities.
Let’s pray together in thankfulness, lament and hope for all of Creation, our global neighbours, local and world leaders amid this climate emergency.